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Desserts with Fan Fare

Favorite recipes without the fuss

Released just two weeks ago, “120 Dessert Recipe Favorites: Mary Engelbreit’s Fan Fare Cookbook,” by Mary Engelbreit, is the third installment in Engelbreit’s “Fan Fare” cookbook collection. Following in the footsteps of “120 Family Favorite Recipes” and “120 Slow Cooker Recipe Favorites,” Engelbreit’s latest cookbook is decorated with the author’s trademark artwork and filled with the personal dessert recipes of friends and family. The good looking Humdingers (made with dates, nuts and crispy rice cereal), pumpkin dessert and microwave-baked chocolate Bundt cake, the three recipes I’ve tried so far, proved to be exceedingly easy to make and were as delicious as they looked. Each dessert baked up sweet and rich and may be cut into portions smaller than what the recipe indicates. The pumpkin squares, for instance, calls for cutting them into 12 squares, but, really, even cutting them into 24 squares still provides a generous enough portion that, for all intents and purposes, is like eating a piece of homemade pumpkin pie. I plan to keep this dessert cookbook closeby through the holiday season, and you may expect to see the book’s recipe for Aebleskivers (Danish Pancake Balls), as we move closer to Christmas. For more information about this cookbook and Engelbreit’s other “Fan Fare” cookbooks, visit www.andrewsmcmeel.com or Mary Engelbreit’s website at www.maryenglebriet.com.

Sue Ade is a syndicated food writer with broad experience and interest in the culinary arts. She has worked and resided in the Lowcountry of South Carolina since 1985 and may be reached at kitchenade@yahoo.com.

Cook the dates, butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat for about 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, crispy rice cereal, and nuts. Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar in the bottom of the prepared pan, spread the mixture in the pan and top with more confectioners’ sugar. Let cool completely, then cut into squares. Makes 9 squares.

Kitchen Ade note: These are sweet and can easily be cut into smaller size squares.

Pumpkin Dessert Squares

Crust

1 (15.25-ounce) box spice cake mix

½ cup finely chopped pecans

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Filling

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pie filling)

¾ cup sugar

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

Topping

Fresh whipped cream (with a pinch of ground nutmeg added, if desired)

Chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. To make the crust, combine the cake mix, pecans, salt, baking soda and oil in a large bowl and blend. Press* the crust evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is slightly brown. While the crust is baking, make the pumpkin filling. In a medium bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients and blend until smooth. Remove the crust from the oven and pour the filling over it. Bake for 30 minutes more, or until the center is firm. Let cool completely. Spread the whipped cream over the pumpkin filling. Garnish with the pecans and/or chocolate sprinkles. Refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 12 squares.

*Kitchen Ade note: Because the crust ingredients actually mixes up more like batter than dough, you will be spreading the mixture into the pan, rather than pressing it. In addition, if you prefer smaller portions, cut the dessert into 24 squares rather than 12.

Karen's Kwik Chocolate Decadence Cake

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting*

1 (15.25-ounce) box chocolate fudge cake mix

1 (12-ounce) package double-chocolate chips*

Generously grease a 10-inch microwavable Bundt pan and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Prepare the cake mix batter according to package directions. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the microwave at 50 percent power for 11 minutes. If using a microwave without a turntable, give the pan a half turn. Continue microwaving for 4 to 5 minutes at full power. Let cool for 10 minutes on a flat surface and then turn out onto a serving dish.

*Kitchen Ade note: I did not have a 10-inch microwavable Bundt pan, so I substituted with a microwave oven-safe 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan. I sprayed the pan with Baker’s Joy and did not dust the pan with cocoa powder, which can sometimes produce a burnt taste. If you cannot locate “double” chocolate chips, substitute with an equal amount (2 cups) of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Ghiradelli sells Double Chocolate Bittersweet Baking Chips in 56-ounce bags via their website at www.ghirardelli.com. The cacao content of Ghiradelli’s Double Chocolate Bittersweet Baking chips is 50 to 55 percent.